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Welcome to Heritage Vembaru...... Heritage Communities....... Living at Heritage place........ This site is a treasure trove of historical information about a elegant coastal hamlet ‘Vembaru’ situated in the Gulf of Mannar of South India.

PEARL CULTURE — ITS POTENTIAL AND IMPLICATIONS IN INDIA

Pearl fisheries o f India are of ancient origin. The pearl oyster resources are loca-ted mainlyin the Gulf of Kutch and Gulf of Mannar. They are subjected to wide fluctua-tions from year to year, particularly when they are exploited for natural pearls. In 1972, Veippalodai, near Tuticorin, was selected as a site for conducting experiments on pearl oyster farming and on the development of cultured pearls. Modem method of raft culture was adopted for raising mother oysters. This method proved successful despite the try-ing sea conditions prevailing during the monsoon months. The survival rate of the pearl oysters in the farm was about 78 % during the first year . The oysters grew fast in the farm in certain seasons and remained healthy throughout the experiments. Fouling by different organisms was a serious problem and, if not checked properly, led to mortality of oysters. Settlement of the spats of pearl oyster occurred at the farm from May to July.